1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information recording medium reproducing method, an information recording medium, a reproducing apparatus and an information recording medium managing method, and it is applicable to a system for reproducing an optical disc on which music pieces are recorded, for example. Further, the present invention aims to access a predetermined server on the basis of an address recorded on an information recording medium to issue key data from the server thereto and decrypt encrypted data recorded on the information recording medium, whereby an user can easily and accurately re-listening to a music piece to which the user test-listened and took a fancy at a concert opening place or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Music pieces have been hitherto supplied to users through media such as optical discs, etc. For example, a music album is created by collectively recording on optical discs a series of music pieces selected by an artist, a recording company or the like. Further, a single disc is created by selecting a desired music piece from a music album thus created and recording it on optical discs.
Recently, a new service of distributing music pieces through the Internet to users has been started. Further, there is such a case that a user wishes to re-listen to a favorite music piece to which the user test-listened at a concert opening place or the like. In this case, if the user purchases an album containing his/her favorite music piece to listen to the favorite music piece, the user must purchase undesired music pieces. Further, for users which hardly purchase these types of media, it is a very heavy work to look for albums containing target music pieces.
Further, it may be considered that a user purchase a single disc to test-listen to his/her favorite music piece. However, such a favorite music piece may not be supplied in the form of a single disc. As compared with the case of albums, it is a further heavier work for a user to look for a single disc containing his/her target music piece.
On the other hand, through the distribution of music pieces to uses through the Internet, the users can download and enjoy only their favorite music pieces through the Internet. In this case, however, each user must search a home page distributing his/her desired music piece from many home pages, and further select the desired music piece from many music pieces distributed from this home page, so that the user must carry out an extremely intricate work. Further, it takes much time to download the desired music piece.